Category: Nutrition

Not the P90X nutrition guide, but information relating to Paleo, bad grains, obesity studies etc. Believe me, Paleo is the way to go.

Wednesday Bootcamp – Abs Focus

I brought the kettlebells again.

Actually, let me be clear about that.

It was 40 mintues before class, I couldn’t find my KB workout sheet so I thought I would print one off. I couldn’t find the list since it was on my pc at work. I remoted into work to get the list, halfway through the remote connection closed because our Citrix admin hasn’t licensed our remote connectivity software properly and so it cuts you off, leaving you with a distasteful licensing note and an inability to reconnect for 2 minutes… I finally managed to reconnect and find the list and email it to myself. Once done, I tried to print the thing only to find that when I turned on the printer 8 thousand sheets of my wife’s printouts from the last week were queued up first causing the printer to run out of paper. I finally got the printout done with only 15 minutes left until class, rushed into my car and halfway to gym realized I had forgotten the kettlebells. I turned around, just yards from Tim Hortons where I could see the drive through was empty as usual. I sped back home, grabbed the kettlebells and went back to Tims. Three cars in line? No problem. However, car #1 was apparently ordering a la carte and having the duck salad with au jus since it was taking them forever to take the order, never mind serve the person. Driver 2 took 3 minutes just to open her window to talk to the simpleton behind the speaker who then commenced to fill 3 screens of information with her order. Finally I got to order my coffee only because I couldn’t reverse out of the drive through and escape. As the drivers ahead moved along the start time for class came and went, and since I had been in line for over 7 minutes as soon as I got to the hole in the drive through lane I made my escape presumably leaving a spotty teenager confused holding my coffee that I can presume with confidence was probably wrong anyway. I got to the gym only to find out that the person for whom I had made all the effort and missed out on my coffee was AWOL second week in a row.

Colour me unhappy.

I searched my bag for a replacement workout and the coffee stained (yes, I appreciate the irony) paper was an abs workout that went like this:

5.10.2 Bodyweight Abs

x2
10 full crunch
10 regular pushups
10 side crunch
10 curl up to bar
10 pullups

x2

20 leg up med ball crunch
10 military pushups / med ball pushups
10 mb situp double twist
10 pullups
10 hanging leg raise

x2
10 side plank leg raise / toe touch
10 spider each side
20 MB shelf stacker 10 per side
10 front lunge
40 side rocker runners each side

x2
40 running backs each arm
10 clap pushups
10 leg cross under hip touch floor each side
10 pullups alternate hands
20 wall sit mb

x2
10 falling towers mb under butt
10 plyo pushup
30 second superman plank each

Biggest Loser – About To Commit Crimes Against Children??

It’ s all over the news about The Biggest Loser having kids between 11 and 17 on the show this season and while I am sure (at least I hope) that the approach will be radically different than that of the adults I still think that this is a very dangerous ratings grab. Much of my feeling is echoed by the following article but my overwhelming feeling is that these kids are going to be taught, purposefully or not, that exercise is something that takes work, dedication, pain and long term suffering. That’s simply not the message we should be sending. Although I agree that if these kids are obese and sedentary, they should be shown that there is a price to pay for their lifestyle, I am just not so sure that Ms. Michaels is the one to tell them. I am afraid that from a coaching perspective and someone who has coached kids 11-17 for many years that this could be TV’s next great trainwreck. Let’s hope for the kids’ sake it isn’t and that rather than using the treadmills and weights that these kids are out playing in the outdoors and having fun while learning that movement is preferable to watching TV. I would hate for the first exposure to exercise for a child would be a treadmill and a body bug.

http://www.athleticrevolutionsouthshore.com/biggest-loser-to-train-kids/

Western Professor Off The Deep End – Don’t Smoke Eggs!

I am saddened to see such drivel coming out of my Alma Mater but I couldn’t help but notice the oversensationalized headline in the paper that EGG YOLKS ARE AS BAD AS CIGARETTES!!!

I tried to sweep it under the carpet of common sense but I just couldn’t. Thank goodness then that Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple made the salient points for me. Read all about how the “scientist” got it wrong.

Seriously, Western should fire the guy, at least that way he would realize that his ridiculous “research methodology” much like his reputation lays in tatters.

The Evils Of Wheat

If you haven’t already heard of Wheat Belly by William Davis it’s well worth a read and will give you the exacting answers as to why you should avoid wheat like you avoid cigarettes and alcohol. You do avoid cigarettes and alcohol, right? It’s the most common question I get about my Paleo diet, and the most difficult one to get across to people. After all, they have been eating wheat all their lives and probably at least half of what they eat has wheat in it. But what they fail to realize is the magnitude of the danger. Macleans ran an article about the book (some of which I have posted below) and is a critical read at least to start the educational process on why wheat should not be a part of your life.

Here’s just a sampling:

Q: A lot of us have switched to whole wheat products because we’ve been told complex carbohydrates are heart healthy and good for us. Are you saying that’s not true?

A: The research that indicates whole grains are healthy is all conducted the same way: white flour is replaced with whole wheat flour, which, no question, is better for you. But taking something bad and replacing it with something less bad is not the same as research that directly compares what happens to health and weight when you eliminate wheat altogether. There’s a presumption that consuming a whole bunch of the less bad thing must be good for you, and that’s just flawed logic. An analogy would be to say that filtered cigarettes are less bad for you than unfiltered cigarettes, and therefore, a whole bunch of filtered cigarettes is good for you. It makes no sense. But that is the rationale for increasing our consumption of whole grains, and that combined with the changes in wheat itself is a recipe for creating a lot of fat and unhealthy people.

Q: How does wheat make us fat, exactly?

A: It contains amylopectin A, which is more efficiently converted to blood sugar than just about any other carbohydrate, including table sugar. In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does. And then, after about two hours, your blood sugar plunges and you get shaky, your brain feels foggy, you’re hungry. So let’s say you have an English muffin for breakfast. Two hours later you’re starving, so you have a handful of crackers, and then some potato chips, and your blood sugar rises again. That cycle of highs and lows just keeps going throughout the day, so you’re constantly feeling hungry and constantly eating. Dieticians have responded to this by advising that we graze throughout the day, which is just nonsense. If you eliminate wheat from your diet, you’re no longer hungry between meals because you’ve stopped that cycle. You’ve cut out the appetite stimulant, and consequently you lose weight very quickly. I’ve seen this with thousands of patients.

Q: But I’m not overweight and I exercise regularly. So why would eating whole wheat bread be bad for me?

A: You can trigger effects you don’t perceive. Small low-density lipoprotein [LDL] particles form when you’re eating lots of carbohydrates, and they are responsible for atherosclerotic plaque, which in turn triggers heart disease and stroke. So even if you’re a slender, vigorous, healthy person, you’re still triggering the formation of small LDL particles. And second, carbohydrates increase your blood sugars, which cause this process of glycation, that is, the glucose modification of proteins. If I glycate the proteins in my eyes, I get cataracts. If I glycate the cartilage of my knees and hips, I get arthritis. If I glycate small LDL, I’m more prone to atherosclerosis. So it’s a twofold effect. And if you don’t start out slender and keep eating that fair trade, organically grown whole wheat bread that sounds so healthy, you’re repeatedly triggering high blood sugars and are going to wind up with more visceral fat. This isn’t just what I call the wheat belly that you can see, flopping over your belt, but the fat around your internal organs. And as visceral fat accumulates, you risk responses like diabetes and heart disease.

Read the article, even better, get the book using the link at the top and set your mind straight about the dangers of eating wheat.

A Paleo Word About Nuts And Seeds

Somebody asked me the other day if quinoa was OK to eat. I said it wasn’t the best because it is a grain and grain is bad. Fact is, I deliberately over simplified that response, quinoa as most people know is not a grain but a seed however it behaves very similarly and is produced in grain plants where gluten and other contaminants are common. That led me to an interesting article about nuts and seeds that has pointed me in a new direction rather than giving up dairy. I think cutting my nuts and seeds consumption by 75% should do the trick instead. The more I read, the more I realized that my consumption is probably a little high.

Anyway, for more info on PUFA, Omega 3 and 6 and all the other fabulous info about nuts and seeds, read on…

Are Nuts And Seeds Healthy?

The Lowdown On 18 Paleo (Or Not) Foods…

I regularly read Mark’s Daily Apple and recently he published 2 posts that I want to share. It sheds light on a total of 18 foods that are judged as to whether they are primal / paleo friendly or not.  It’s a good read, and some things may surprise you. I’m just glad I got the OK to eat a little “fructose rich bee vomit” every now and again.

Here’s the original 10

Here’s the last 8

Quick Note About “Safe” Starch. And While You Are Here – Eat Meat!

I’m a little up in the air about this. My gut feeling is that during times of NIMGU (that magical post workout hour when your insulin is well mannered and disciplined) it’s fine to have some starchy carbs such as rices or potato (mostly yam) since the effect of insulin resistance is out of play during that hour. Any other time? Not for me, but for my kids I would say it’s a valid way to add a small amount of carbs to the diet. Growing bodies and specifically young athletes have a requirement that is different from a full grown adult who is working at a desk all day and working out a few nights a week. My gut tells me it’s OK, but not in moderation, I think moderation is too often. I would say it’s OK rarely, maybe twice or 3 times a week the day after training. I don’t have any specific scientific support for this but what I do know is that the body of a young athlete is far better and more efficient than an over 30 or over 40 recreational athlete at dealing with a slightly elevated level of carbohydrate on an infrequent basis.

Anyway, here is the article I read today which kind of indicates that “safe” carbs aren’t really that safe and that the more you eat the worse they are.

I think it’s important to note here that we are talking about measurements of degrees. If your diet is good enough that you are debating whether or not to have 200-400 calories of sweet potato or rice then you are probably on the right track generally speaking. If you think you can have fires for lunch every day because Simon says potato is OK then you are missing the point…

..And you should put down the fry and immediately do 40 squats, 20 burpees and 15 handstand pushups.

As a bit of an afterthought I want to link the excellent article in rebuttal to the latest studies saying meat eating will lead to premature death. I cleared the air about this one with my kids, so now it’s your turn.

Gary Taubes – Science, pseudoscience, nutritional epidemiology and meat. I know, thrilling title but it’s important!]

If you are interested in a more in depth article outlining this reckless use of bad science, here you go.

R9D50 – Bootcamp 2.11.1 Maybe I’m Imagining Things (3 things)

So part way during the bootcamp class I became aware that I was struggling a little more than I think I should be. In my exhausted state I figured it was because of my lax approach the last few weeks (I only managed 3 workouts last week) and that my conditioning was starting to suffer. Then I realized that in my hurry I had grabbed a can of Red Bull on my way out of the house and what I was feeling was the rush of adrenaline and caffeine from the (sugar free) energy drink. Now I am not a big fan of energy drinks other than to keep you alert while driving. I have a tendency to zone out a little when we go on long car trips so I often will consume a Red Bull or 5 hour energy before to make sure I’m up for the mind-numbing trip. But when it comes to exercising I have long believed that the stimulation that you get from energy drinks is not doing you any good. So I decided to look into it.

I found a few things that give balanced reviews of not only the drink themselves but also the idea behind the marketing and so on, but since it was the specific health aspect I was interested in I read on to discover that what I was feeling was probably a caffeine overload. Since most energy drinks contain caffeine and also Guaranine (which has an active ingredient of… you guessed it, caffeine) then the amount of caffeine you are taking in during a very short time can be upwards of 3 cup equivalents. In short, after reading up on the subject I found a startling conclusion that was reached by almost everyone who has studied the effects of these kinds of drinks:

  •  Energy drinks should not be consumed before or during exercise or manual labor.
  • Energy drinks are not a substitute for water or sports drinks for hydration.
  • Monitor your kids. Children or adolescents should not consume energy drinks.
  • Do not mix energy drinks with alcohol. Period.
  • Do not drink energy drinks if you have hypertension, have an underlying medical condition, or are taking any kind of prescription medication.
  • Do not drink energy drinks if you’re pregnant.
  • Do not exceed the recommended daily allowance (usually one can per day).
  • Know the signs of too much caffeine (jitters, restlessness, fidgeting, anxiety, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heart beat)

The point that was made over and over was the distinction between “energy drinks” and “sports drinks” such as Gatorade, Powerade etc. Although for some people the distinction is not clear, sports drinks are designed for SPORTS and to be consumed during or after sports or both. Energy drinks, as far as I can tell are designed to place your body into an alert, high performing state which can emulate intense exercise. Having and energy drink and exercising is like pouring gasoline on a barbecue, it’s just not a good idea and the intensity of the result may cause heart attack, stroke, seizures and yes, definitely death. They must be thinking of Angel Wings when they say “Red Bull give you wings…”. I guess I will be taking my old standby water bottle from now on!

The second thing is sleep. I am guilty of not getting enough sleep and although I have been operating on 5 hours a night for many m any years I can’t deny that I feel better after 7 or 8 IF I CAN DO IT! Most often I can’t, my body just wants out after 5 hours. I ran into a good infographic today which tell sof the health risks of getting what I would call chronic lack of sleep:

Lack of Sleep Infographic
As for bootcamp, it was intense and enjoyable, and a repeat of a class from a few weeks back. I like it because it has plenty of backwards running, something that increases agility, focus and works the legs in a new and painful way! We also welcomed back a visitor to the class and like I have said on previous occasions I love having new victims to torture especially if they try to make both classes in a week. The second class is almost always a new height in pain and suffering for them. But kudos to her for coming back and partying with us a second (and hopefully third) time!

D21 – 2.11.1 Cardio and abs

2x section
20 Hit The Floor
10 2 line Suicides
20 switch kicks
20 in and out abs

2x section
4x 8Jump rope with 4jump half turn
10x 8 sprint 4 switch lunge
10 stance jacks (foot touch)
10 vsnaps

2x section
5x long jump run back – single double triple repeat
20 side to side hopjump with squat foot touch
10 2 line forward and back suicides with pancake
10 ski abs

2x section
5 burpee
5 burpee with 4 run
5 burpee with 4 run and 4 in and out
20 plank jacks
10 plank jacks with in and out

1x section
2 foot tap circles
4x 1 foot tap circles with med ball carry 3 lengths
4x 20 foot taps, 5 burpee holding ball
each line ball place and return (place ball on line return to wall)
10 full situp with med ball
10 side crunch each side

 

Trainer Tells All Parts 1 and 2

I was cleaning out my email this morning and came across this piece from 2010. I thought it was still pretty valid and although I don’t recall the source, I could have written most of it since it’s all things I too have learned.

Enjoy!

Part 1:

 

I was riding my mountain bike yesterday and all of the sudden it just came to me. I just started thinking about how many things I’ve learned through my own personal working out (since I was a kid and playing competitive sports) as well as being a trainer (since 1998). So today I just wanted to share some of the things this 36yr old has personally learned about all things health and fitness….in no certain order….

  • Pushups are the best upper body workout designed….no machine can replace that…you don’t need any equipment and you can do them anywhere.
  • It’s easy to become a certified trainer (as I have seen overweight people become certified)….it’s not easy to work as one full time (hence a high turnover rate in many clubs)
  • Diet is 85% of where results come from…..for muscle and fat loss. Many don’t focus here enough.
  • Working out too much doesn’t lead to good results….hence most people are still struggling after years of hard effort and little return.
  • Most people do not lift heavy enough to make stronger muscles.
  • It’s never too late to build muscle….and is more important as we grow older.
  • The only real cure is prevention….don’t get sick in the first place otherwise you may be in for a long road back to health
  • If you eat whole foods that have been around for 1000s of years, you probably don’t have to worry about counting calories
  • Sugar is not our friend
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup is making people fat and sick
  • The biggest 2 threats to our health are inflammation (silent and chronic) and insulin resistance
  • Our dependence on gyms to workout may be keeping people fat….as walking down a street and pushups in your home are free everyday…but people are not seeing it that way.
  • If I had to pick one sport for a child to start with it would be gymnastics, the strength/speed/balance/body control they will learn can be applied to any sport down the road.
  • I hate to jog….I love to run
  • Never listen to any advertising telling you what is healthy….as they are just trying to sell you something
  • There is no such thing as spot reduction…but there is a great business in selling that concept (Ab-reclining chair anyone?)
  • The fittest people I know keep active daily doing what they enjoy
  • Fitness and Muscle magazines never got me any real results
  • Supplements were are waste of a lot of money for me
  • The best performance enhancing thing I know of….is a cup of coffee 30min before a workout/playing sports.
  • To build muscle, throw away your Whey protein and eat more steak and eggs
  • More people are taking muscle building hormones than will ever admit to you
  • The best way to lose weight for most is lower carbohydrate eating/cycling
  • I was skipping breakfast long before I ever found out about intermittent fasting (IF)
  • It’s a lot easier to stay fit and strong….once you get there
  • Meat and Fat are my friends
  • Muscle size does not tell a person’s real strength
  • Muscle size is mostly glycogen and water
  • Whole foods can never be replaced by a multi-vitamin
  • Most people need some Fish Oil to control inflammation
  • Many brain functions may be vastly improved with a diet of no sugar/higher fats (esp DHA from fish/fish oil)
  • Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day
  • Eating 6x a day provides no metabolic advantage for losing weight than 2-3x a day…it’s still about calories and blood sugar/insulin control
  • Mainstream media is 5 years behind research studies….research studies are 10 years behind what people are already doing for health and results
  • The eat low-fat advice was the biggest health disaster in the last 30 years
  • The greatest learning experience was helping people with autoimmune/arthritis to get healthier…..I never got more appreciation for my own health and how important prevention really is.
  • The saddest thing to see is someone crippled by a potentially preventable disease while they are young which keeps them from doing simple daily activities and on multiple medications
  • I was 215 lbs in college and thought I was big and had muscles….now at a much leaner and defined 185lbs I know I was more fat than muscles back then
  • I can still keep up with the 21 yr old hockey players…..I just am a little more sore the next day now….
  • Mountain biking is fun….snapping off my derailer and making it a single speed is even more fun
  • The smartest trainer I know does not have a website or best selling ebook….as he is too busy training real clients
  • Apple Cider Vinegar is the only medicine I take if I feel sick
  • I can go up and down up to 10lbs in a week depending on glycogen and water balance
  • The first big amount of lbs you lose in the first week dieting is mostly water
  • If you want to get better at running….you run…..at biking…you bike…….at a sport…you play that sport
  • I know a professional athlete making millions and a star on his team…yet he can’t do a pullup…but he doesn’t need to
  • There is no one right way for anything…..as 20 different ways can get you results…
  • 80/20 rule is so true…..80% of your results come from just 20% of the exercises, 20% of the food in supermarkets, and spending 20% of your time working out.
  • Results are just the simple yet important things done on a consistent basis
  • Losing more than 2lbs a week is probably not all fat
  • Gaining more than 2lbs a week is probably not all muscle
  • All diets fail over the long run….but lifestyle changes last
  • All diets books are saying the same thing in general…they just make a new way to present it
  • Bill Phillips was a marketing genius
  • There is nothing new in health and fitness…..just ideas that resurface that are long forgotten
  • Fads are created to sell more specialized equipment/gear, lifting/throwing something heavy and running fast has been around for 100s of years and still works
  • Want a strong “core”? Lift something heavy over your head and walk around trying to stabilize it…the motivation to not drop it on your head will work wonders
  • There should be a law against selling any dumbbells less than 5lbs….or ones in neon colors
  • If your trainer can not get you to lose weight, fire him/her. You are not paying for his/her company or excuses….go find someone who can deliver or knows how to get results
  • Squatting to parallel will only give you weak hamstrings and lead to more knee issues….you should be able to go down like you were going to pick something off the ground….as that is the reason our bodies were designed to squat
  • The best thing anyone can do for their health/results is to just try new things…see how their body adapts and responds…and learn how to take total control no matter life may throw at them in the future
  • Blogging is more effort than I would ever imagine….but I enjoy sharing what I know
  • If you like what I write…the best thing you can do is help spread the word…so others can start improving their health and fitness too

 

Part 2:

 

So in no particular order, here are some more thoughts…as the trainer tells “more”. Hope you enjoy as much as my first article from long ago!

  • Here’s the secret to lasting weight loss…find an enjoyable way to eat less (without feeling deprived and giving up) and move more. Done. Send your check to…..
  • Anyone who tells you that their/some way is the “only” way, is already wrong.
  • Most out there really suffer from “paralysis by analysis”.
  • There are 100s of forums filled with millions of people who are mostly just debating weight loss and muscle gaining, while there are people who don’t even have a computer getting real results.
  • I’m happier now living a more flexible/enjoyable lifestyle at a leaner 185lbs than I was trying to maintain my 215lbs in college.
  • There is more to life than going to the gym and tanning.
  • If you want better food choices at restaurants and the supermarket, stop supporting crappy ones. Vote with your fork (and wallet). Companies will give people what they want if the masses demand it (as that is their business model).
  • P90x workouts are probably fun and motivating…although most people I know don’t want to spend an hour doing a workout 5x/wk…so they just let their DVDs collect dust.
  • Many people I know with fantastic physiques also have low self-esteem and depression issues (as they are too tied to what they look like for happiness, and nothing is ever good enough).
  • I like to keep life simple, and try to eat “real food” most of the time….and not worry about being perfect.
  • If you are not happy with yourself right now, getting more muscle or a leaner body will not solve it (although nothing wrong with wanting to look good, just don’t obsess over it as see the previous bullet point above).
  • I still get a chuckle when exercise companies send me 150+ page catalogs filled with the latest and greatest training tools (why do we need all this?).
  • If you think you need to be HUUUGE to act tough, remember Bruce Lee at 145lbs could whoop most anyone’s butt over 200lbs.
  • Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, don’t allow your happiness to be based on the judgment of your own cover
  • Science and research seems to prove 2 things on a consistent basis, what my grandma already knew is true and we really don’t know much about how the body works.
  • Why is spanking a child considered abuse, but letting them become overweight and sick is not?
  • When did kids get to eat what they wanted all the time? When I was a kid I was not crazy about eating pork chops and veggies, but the other option of going to bed hungry was not a good choice either!
  • The fact that kids need “planned activities” to get out of the house is sad, as back in the day we just rode our bikes around the neighborhood until the street lights came on.
  • Kids and grown ups don’t want to “work out”, but they both want to go out and “play”.
  • Getting very close to 40, I only really am concerned about being able to lift things and move my own body without injury….not going to worry about exercises to isolate my calf muscles.
  • There is no profit in getting people healthy and keeping them that way without prescription medications or diet books/pills.
  • All so-called “public service messages” based on fear marketing of something from drug companies (you may have xyz disease!) are just fancy sales pitches for you getting treated with their meds…and it is working.
  • It is amazing when you decide to take care of yourself and not depend on anyone else, how easy and rewarding it is.
  • The real calorie difference between walking and jogging a mile, is about 30-40 calories/mile. If you run 5 miles a day but eat 10 miles worth after, what good is that?
  • So many people want to make dieting and fitness an “all or nothing” full time focus, no wonder so many people burn out.
  • If I can train at home and get results with only using bodyweight and resistance bands, you don’t have an excuse.
  • I canceled my gym membership again, because I’d rather go play outside.
  • I canceled my gym membership again, because I needed the personal reminder that eating is where most of my results come from.
  • I canceled my gym membership again, because exercise can happen anywhere.
  • I canceled my gym membership again, because walking on a treadmill watching TVs on all different 24hr news channels was not relaxing at all…and more stressful.
  • Do pushups (and/or pullups) during every commercial break watching TV, Hershel Walker did growing up.
  • Less is more, hence why I have deleted most of my internet explorer bookmarks and RSS subscriptions.
  • Knowledge without action is useless.
  • I’ll never buy another running shoe ever, and will never need an ITB or knee brace either.
  • I’ve read about as much as I care to about exercise and fitness, I get it. Time to explore other passions in life.
  • I knew a trainer friend who was 225lbs ripped walking around daily. Then had gallbladder/liver issues. After 4 weeks he was shrunken down to about 180lbs and wasn’t eating much. Once he felt better, he was back up to 225lbs again in another 4 weeks. Just saying, appearances don’t tell everything.
  • I suggest getting Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules” simple little book as a fun daily reminder of what to eat.
  • I don’t like labels on how I eat (low-carb, Paleo, etc), as I change it daily depending on how I feel and recovery needs. I am in full control of my choices daily….and never tied to just any one way.
  • People who exercise can enjoy their vices.
  • People who flex in the mirror at the gym in my opinion probably really just need a hug.
  • If you still need to count calories, you are probably not eating the right foods in the first place.
  • Yes I could train someone on a “Bowflex” to get results with the right eating and workout, it is not that hard.
  • Because I can’t say it enough without people saying how wrong I am…eating more meals during a day does NOT speed up your metabolism. Sorry, just relaying the facts as I see them.
  • Exercise (especially glycolitic/resistance training based) is key to “lasting” weight loss success, and doesn’t have to be excessive either.
  • I’ll give you my strategy in life….sleep, eat light, workout, eat what I want, sleep, fast, eat less than the day before, sleep and repeat. Mix in some fun lifestyle activities and not stressing about stuff and you have a pretty good plan in my book.
  • I bet if we burned all the diet books out there, people may be able to start to really think for themselves and get results.
  • Learning how to eat is a lifestyle endeavor, as our bodies and needs change as we go…and so we must know how to adapt.
  • I’m going to make myself a dip/inverted row stand for commercial breaks (not that I watch much TV, but will keep it around the house for fun)
  • Losing weight and building muscle is not that hard, just look at some of the people who do it (not rocket science).
  • Unless someone has kept the weight off for a couple years, no one should be listening to anyone bragging about “quick” weight loss (aka Hollywood and other celebs). Most gain it all right back.
  • If your mentality is “I need to lose 30lbs, how do I do it?”, then you are already setting yourself up for failure.
  • If your mentality is “How do I lose a couple lbs a week?”, then you are setting yourself up for a life of success. (apply same strategy to putting on muscle if that is your goal)
  • Thinking you can just magically put on 30lbs of “lean” muscle (not to be confused with just “weight”) in a couple months, is a slap in the face to all the people before you who did it the slow and steady way.
  • If your muscle disappears if you take a couple weeks off the gym, it wasn’t really muscle in the first place.
  • I get it that training to run a marathon is motivating for people to get back into shape, but people need to also understand that excess exercise does damage to your body and can waste muscle (when it is the only training you do). My advice to a person getting back into shape? Train for and run a 5-10k instead, and don’t forget resistance training to keep those muscles around.
  • I stopped taking fish oil, once I stopped eating fatty grain fed meat all the time…and added in more sardines and herring. I feel much better.
  • Autophagy (recycling at the cell level) may be the key to lasting health/longevity over 40+, and the only way to turn it up is with a “low food” stress on occasion.
  • Being “fit” is too many people’s obsession, and no one really knows what it means in the first place.
  • Most guys want their body to look like Arnold in “Conan”, most women want a guy’s body to look like Brad Pitt in “Fight Club”.
  • The top bodybuilders are still pretty damn strong…which means they are not always doing sets of 20 reps with light weights.
  • Walking around in sandals and barefoot (in house) is the easiest way for anyone to get the muscles in their feet strong again (and even help correct posture issues).
  • If I were to start another training studio (which I am not) it would still be like the one I had long ago…a small room with only resistance bands, bodyweight straps and dumbbells.
  • If I can’t remember the workout in my head during training, it is too complicated for me.
  • My motto nowadays in regards to training can be summed up in 3 quotes: “Go hard”, “Don’t do stupid sh*t” and “Don’t get injured”….usually #2 and #3 go hand in hand.
  • I eat ice cream, pizza and burgers on occasion. I make no apologies for it, and neither should you.
  • It never made sense to me when trainers telling their overweight clients to eat 2500+ calories a day (for women, 3500+ for men) and workout 4-5x a week. Why not eat less and workout smarter?
  • During tougher times throughout my fitness trainer career I have survived for weeks on rice, corn, beans, milk and eggs….and it wasn’t that bad.
  • I don’t want to be called an “expert” anymore, as that term has dropped in quality over the years since the explosion of the internet.
  • Cultures of people who live long and healthy have varied diets, but usually 2 things in common….they eat real food, and they eat much less than most everyone else.
  • I don’t do fancy marketing or sales tricks (even though I know most of them all), I just try and be someone that I would want to listen to…as I hate being sold to all the time.
  • Most people probably have to spend alot of money on supplements, diet books and/or exercise programs before they “really get it” and know how simple it all is. I know I did.
  • I use the 80/20 rule when it comes to all things health and fitness…I will focus on the 20% that gives 80% of the results and not get obsessed over the other 80%. Then I have plenty of free time to go live life before it passes me by.
  • The more times I watch “Fight Club”…the more I appreciate the deeper message, and it is not about fighting.
  • If I can’t enjoy a beer with friends after doing something fun and active, I probably don’t want any part of it.
  • Sometimes people wonder how the heck I can eat the amount I do and still stay lean…give you a hint, I focus on maintaining muscle with simple resistance training….and I take days off with intermittent fasting.
  • Knowing my own tendencies and body type is important. I like to workout hard/explosive, run/skate fast in spurts and eat big meals when I am hungry. Once I tailored my lifestyle around that (including knowing when to plan in recovery), I have never been happier and still get the body composition I am after.
  • Workout days I like to put in more carbs (esp after a workout). Other days are more protein. I don’t do well trying to do high carb/protein together.
  • If you want to look like a professional athlete, do what they do for 8 hours a day…if you want to look good and still keep your day job, workout and eat smart.
  • Most Hollywood stars take 4-8+ months to get ready for a role and look good on camera. So why do most people think they can get it done in 2-4 weeks?
  • I enjoy eating, and enjoy it even more after a hard workout. I don’t snack, as that is just torture for me (I get really hungry from it).
  • You can get lean and fit eating fast food burgers and snickers bars when the total daily calories are low enough, but I can’t give you any guarantees on your overall state of health as skinny people get cancer and heart disease too.
  • Doctors who are not telling their patients to get off their butt and eat less/move more to improve their health are just being cowards. Time to stop worrying about people’s feelings and tell it like it is!
  • Don’t blame the fast food industry for obesity, as I drive past 20 fast food chains a day and don’t stop in each one. It is still a personal choice on what to eat, no one is holding a gun to anyone’s head.
  • The best way to be healthy is to understand what you are eating and it’s impact on your body. Ignore that and all bets are off.
  • The best way to win the long term “war” on obesity and disease, is to get people to “wake up” and become aware of their own choices. We need to embrace the positive solutions of eating and exercise for health and prevention. If we don’t save ourselves, no one else will do it for us!
  • “This is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time.” (Fight Club)…lets get living!